SDCC 2017 Experience — Blade Runner 2049

While out at SDCC we had a chance to check out the Blade Runner 2049 off-site event. Here’s what we experienced for Blade Runner 2049 at SDCC 2017

Given that Blade Runner 2049 will be hitting theaters soon, October 6^th, it makes sense that there would be a big thing out at SDCC to show it all off and build even more hype for the film. A big thing it was too as one of the larger parking lots near the convention center was taken over by a massive tent that only displayed the film’s name but held many fun things inside; that is if you were willing to wait in the extremely long lines to get in. Thankfully though, the Blade Runner 2049 experience out there was handled rather well and offered up two different experiences for fans to check out. We were able to experience the whole thing while out there and were able to capture a good portion of it in 360° to give all who missed out a chance to see what was going on.

From the start of it all let’s go back to the different experiences that where set up for Blade Runner 2049 here. If you just wanted to get in and check out a few bits of the set and props, you could wait in the much shorter and faster moving line to get in. For those who wanted the full experience, there was also a fun VR experience to be had that truly kicked it all off in the best way. More or less, it was a fun and shorter version of the Blade Runner 2049: Replicant Pursuit that is currently out there for fans who have the ability to experience it. Well at least experience it all without the extras of having motion seats to add to the immersion and then the fun surprise at the end of it all.

To explain the fun surprise I will need to move back to a bit earlier in the whole event. For those going through the whole thing we were first loaded into a waiting area with images of Blade Runner 2049 in both concept art and film stills. Then we were all ushered into a smaller room with a few rows of the aforementioned seats and the Oculus hardware to put on. It was a completely blank room with just a few “technicians” trying to immerse you just a bit before going into the VR experience. An experience that had us flying around in a Spinner from the film and hunting down a suspected Replicant. All of which ending in a hard crash landing and then all of said technicians yelling for you to get out and move on. This is when we removed the VR helmets and realized that the room had been transformed into the downtown LA setting from Blade Runner 2049.

From here we were all left to our own devices and ushered around parts of the film’s set that had also been set up as well as many actors to give you the feeling of the whole Blade Runner 2049 feel. Everything from crazed bums, to glam escorts, to police units, to shop purveyors were wandering around to add to the extra experience that could be had. Some really getting into the whole experience with patrons being accused of being Replicants and forced against the walls for a pat down. This also led to said patron walking away with a fun little bit of swag but it also gave that full feeling they were going for with Blade Runner 2049. Especially when mixed in with some of the other little “activation” experiences that you can see down below in the footage that was taken.

If I wasn’t already excited for Blade Runner 2049 before now, this would have totally done the job for me. It also led me to give a whole other new VR experience a try and download for replay and everything. While the lines were pretty insane for it the whole week, I know that many true fans and those looking for just more fun to have did not walk away without something here. Even those who bypassed the VR part and just went into the downtown LA section had the treat. This is how things should be to get everyone excited as well as experiencing new hardware that will soon drive our video games out there. Now to relive this and wait for Blade Runner 2049 to finally come out and hopefully live up to the hype had at SDCC and in between.